Protecting the medical facility
BY AIRMAN 1ST CLASS MATTHEW DILLIER
AIR FORCE FLIGHT TEST CENTER PUBLIC AFFAIRS
EDWARDS &endash; The 95th Medical Group at Edwards Air Force Base recently teamed up with the Reeves Group, a decontamination consultant firm to begin training Edwards medical personnel to be better prepared to respond to a Weapons of Mass Destruction incident.
"Every military treatment facility in the Air Force is setting up for IPPDC [In Place Patient Decon Capability]," said Tom Bocek, Reeves Group WMD consultant. "This is part of a higher level instruction for every medical training facility to have this capability by September 30."
According to Bocek, the goal of decontamination is to protect the hospital in the event of an attack.
"It acts as a shield for the medical group doors if a WMD incident happens," said Bocek.
How it works
"The decon team consists of 12 members with chemical resistant suits and respirators," said Bocek. "The team should be able to perform their duties for about three hours straight in the suit before needing a short break. With 24 sets of equipment, there is enough for a second team of 12 to take over, providing at least six hours of initial coverage."
Bocek also said once the tent is set up, it can process about 100 people.
"It takes about five to seven minutes to set up," he said. "After set up is complete, it can decontaminate about 40 incapacitated litter victims and 60 walking victims."
"Once an attack has occurred, the decon team is notified and set-up begins," he said. "After the tent is set up, water is run through heaters and in less than a minute, warm water is flowing through a built-in shower system. The victims then go through the shower system to be decontaminated before going inside the regular hospital for treatment."
According to Capt. Michael Dailey, 95th MDG manpower team chief, this process will allow the hospital to remain open and running in the event of a catastrophe.
"Without this capability we would be forced to close our doors to contaminated victims to protect everyone inside. Now we have the ability to go out of the clinic amongst the victims, perform basic medical care, and decontaminate them so they can be allowed inside for more comprehensive treatment," said Captain Dailey.
Staff Sgt. Sean Taylor, 95th MDG manpower NCO in charge, agreed.
"This is one more way that the medical group is working to help keep
the medics, as well as the population of Edwards, safe, so everyone who
needs medical care can get it," he said.
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